Kŋight Ƒall
by K1d Flash
Summary: In this novelization that takes place months before the events of the mysterious Vigil Homeworld, Moon Knight will be faced with his own personal demons and choices that will inevitably shape a dark future as he fights to save himself in a spiral of death, destruction, love, hate and justice that will culminate into a shocking revelation...
1. Chapter 1: Benevolence

_So, I guess I should probably start at the beginning. But if I did that, we wouldn't get to the good shit, and I know you all have better shit to do._

_My name is Marc Spector. You've probably heard my name around the streets. _

_See, I died. Horribly. But I came back to life. That story is a bit complicated, but a god was involved, and now I have the power of the moon. So I took on the mantle of Moon Knight, and that's where we are today._

_I've heard multiple stories about the Rebellion and their leaders that came and went. The rogue Hunterians, X and Zero, have been making a name for themselves after they were exiled from their home. _

_Of course, then it was destroyed by a weapon, so that put a huge damper on things. _

_But this story isn't about the Rebellion. Or about X or Zero. _

_This story is about me. No, I'm not trying to be arrogant. _

_In a way, this story is about the Rebellion as well. I joined the Rebellion in their later years during the battle of the Hunters and I died. Again. _

_But instead of it sticking a second time, I was sent to a strange place, where life and death don't matter. _

_That place is where our story begins._

_The Vigil Homeworld. _

_Yeah, I know. Not the best name for a place where life and death are non-existent. It's not even that beautiful to look at. But this place has a special kind of element to it._

_Apparently, you can return to the land of the living, but if you die within the Vigil, you're dead permanently. _

_Sounds like some television type of shit, right? _

_But here's the thing. I don't know if it's because of my powers or because I have godlike abilities, but I'm able to go to and fro without consequences. It's a crazy thing, but lately everything's been that way._

_"So, let me get this straight. This place... is like, what? Heaven?"_

_I managed to speak with one of the members of the Vigil Council to get some answers._

_"Not really. It's a place of being and mind. You can still die here and be killed. Death is a dangerous thing here. Even more so within the Vigil. You have been chosen to become a part of our Council, to lead others into a new world, a new era of life after death."_

_I took a step back, mostly in confusion and shock. _

_"Whoa, whoa. Wait a second here. I've been chosen? Who the hell put my name in the hat to be a part of this... cult?"_

_"We all took a consensus and decided to add you to the Vigil Council, Moon Knight."_

_"Hang on, I never agreed to this."_

_I paused for a minute. If they were serious about me being a part of this Council, then I could use my detective skills to search for clues and answers. _

_I mean, if we're being honest here, this world is pretty bad lately. With the looming invasion of this Thanos quickly approaching, I had this sick feeling in my gut telling me not everyone would be safe from this threat. _

_For so long I've been trying to make the world a better place, even before I had the powers of Moon Knight. Before I met the Rebellion, I was basically doing what they've been doing - helping the way I can be._

_When I died, I'm not going to lie, that was a scary experience. But I was given not one, but two second chances. _

_This wasn't any stroke of luck or coincidence. It was fate giving me another chance to change things. To go back and fix my past mistakes. _

_Because, let's be honest - if you could go back and change your past to where it wasn't so shit, wouldn't you jump at the chance?_

_I had to. I've made too many of them to just look ahead and never think about them again. I had to do something, even if it meant staying here in this place, at least the Rebellion wouldn't have to worry about this place for a while. _

_I thought it over a bit before I agreed to become a part of the Council. _

_The job was moderately simple - encourage people to stay within the Vigil and assist them with the New World. A world where no harm would come to them. _

_Sounds easy enough, except the problem was nobody would ever know about this place unless they died or were killed in battle. _

_The Rebellion, or rather, X would tell me about the warriors in his fold that gave their lives to fight for a better cause. _

_"When Wheeljack died, he entrusted me with the weight of the Rebellion. Bee wasn't too crazy about the idea because of the incidents we dealt with back in Hunteria, but he's been a loyal member of the team."_

_X looked up to these guys. They helped him and Zero back in Hunteria, but they also helped themselves as well. _

_"Jack and Bee always worked on their own terms. Even after losing Jazz to Lillian and Cameron, they still wanted to fight for a better life. Not just for themselves, but for everyone. I think that's why, when it came down to it, they took up arms and helped us in Hunteria."_

_I asked him what happened to Lillian after the destruction of Hunteria._

_"I don't know. Lillian and Cameron are still out there, somewhere. We didn't stop them. Sometimes, I still feel regret we didn't stop them that day... we might still have Jazz.."_

_I listened intently to his story. I could tell the loss of Hunteria weighed heavily on him. _

_"You did what you could do, X. Losing Hunteria wasn't your fault. What you're doing now is helping those that can't really help themselves. Isn't that what the Rebellion's about? What you all are fighting for?"_

_X chuckled. _

_"Yeah. I guess so."_

_My mind suddenly snapped back to the present. I was in a lit room with a change of clothes and a letter._

_"Marc, we welcome you with open arms. Your journey has begun, and once it is over, you will become one of the Ascended."_

_Ascended? I looked over the letter intently. They were planning something. They had to be planning something. They always are. _

_My mind went back to another time, with her. _

_"Marc... you can't keep doing this. It's not healthy for you. Or for us..."_

_Stephanie. Stephanie Holmes. My first flame. I met her in my early days of being a detective, long before the formation of the Rebellion._

_"I know, Steph... I know it's hard on you. But this is my job now. I can't waste any opportunities. It could provide a better future for the both of us. Isn't that what you want?"_

_She sat up. She was wearing a blue and white nightgown that just lightly accented her skin and features. But she wasn't happy. I could tell. _

_"I don't know anymore, Marc... If this is what it takes to provide now... is it even worth it...?"_

_My mind returned to the present as I sat on the bed, pinching my nose. That was my first mistake. Losing the only person that truly understood me. _

_Steph meant the world to me, and I was an idiot to ever let her go because of work. _

_I didn't know if this place would give me the restart I desperately needed, but I had to try, right?_

_"One day, we'll look back on this and revere ourselves as gods. It's inevitable, Marc."_

_"But what will it cost us to get it, James?"_

_James grinned darkly._

_"Don't you worry your pretty little head, Marky Marc. Soon, we'll be swimming in so much dough, nobody will be able to stop us."_

_"And if they do?"_

_James patted the side of his pocket. He always packed a small pistol in case we were ever mugged or robbed. I liked James, but he would always get us into trouble, and from the way he was talking, we were going to get into some shit we might never get out of._

_"If anyone tries to stop us, see, we'll just give 'em the ol' one, two."_

_Yeah. The ol' 'one, two'. Which, in this case, meant one bullet in the chest, two in the head. Run before they drop dead. _

_"James, one of these days we'll get caught. I'm not risking my life because of you."_

_James's tone shifted._

_"No one ever asked you to do shit for me, Marc. I thought we were best pals."_

_"We are, but.."_

_"But nothing. This is do or die. You're either in or out."_

_I took a breath. I knew I would regret this, but I couldn't risk my life. Of course, that mantra became irrelevant after I died months later._

_"I guess... I'm out."_

_Another flashback. My second mistake. I wouldn't make anymore. Not in this place. It was do or die. And I couldn't afford to die. _

_Not a third time. _

_I got off the bed, grabbed my suit, and got ready to go to work. _

_"Alrighty, you sons of bitches. Let's see what you have in store for Marc Spector..."_

_To Be Continued..._


	2. Chapter 2: Awakening

_Three days inside the Vigil, I was starting to have a sense of deja vu, y'know - that feeling where you've been through this shit before? Everything looked the same, and I started to blend into the walls due to the color of my suit. I had two suits for special occasions: my regular suit with the cape for battles and stealth and my business suit for detective work. Because I didn't know what the hell I was about to get into, I put on my detective suit, I had a feeling I was going to need it. _

_"As you can see, the Vigil Council is missing a member ever since we suffered an incident that left us broken and battered."_

_"Incident? Did he die?"_

_The Vigil member nodded. What happened here? And why did they need me to fill their spot? Because I died in the last battle with the Rebellion? _

_Wait a second. If they found out I was with the Rebellion, they could use that against me to attack. Shit, that was probably the case. _

_"Our cause is of grave importance, Marc Spector. In order to cleanse the world of The Eternal Circle, we must first start by rebuilding the Council. Our citizens, whom we call the 'Unbounded', seek our advice and guidance. They are scared of what the Circle may do. The Rebellion... they mean well, but they could fail in this coming fight. If Thanos were to arrive, it could spell ultimate doom for all of us, including our citizens. Your death and arrival was no accident. You must bring X here when it is time and convince him to work alongside Thanos and the Council."_

_"Yeah, I'm going to have to stop you riiiight there, bud. I know X, and he ain't going to go for that shit. I don't know much about this Thanos character, but he seems like a very bad guy, and I've fought against the Eternal Circle. And besides, X doesn't even know about this place. Unless he dies, he can't come here."_

_Me and my big mouth, huh? I just gave this bastard the idea to send his "council" to the Rebellion's base and slit X's throat. _

_"I know of X's Sentinel powers. X and Zero cannot be killed so easily. But we've had... dark premonitions of X falling in battle to Thanos... it is... a very disturbing thought we hope doesn't come true, but if it does - it is your job to convince him to do this. It could make the difference between everlasting peace or permanent damnation."_

_After pondering over what the hell was just said to me, I was faced with a dilemma. _

_I could wait for X to die and plead my case. I know that sounds cruel, but if this Vigil member was telling the truth, maybe this war we're fighting might finally come to an end. But then again... If this Thanos leads the Eternal Circle, we would be majorly screwed in more ways than one..._

_"If the Eternal Circle get too serious, we could have an intergalactic, universal war on our hands... This changing of the guard they're going through is very concerning, not just for us, but for the fate of the world as well... I'm at a crossroads here, Marc..."_

_I listened to X. This is the first I've seen him this stressed. He has every reason to be, of course. The Circle is preparing for something big, something bad._

_"I know you are, X. I wish there was something I could do to help, but to be honest... I'm concerned as well. The Circle have never been this quiet before, which means that they are preparing for something horrifying..."_

_X shifted in his chair in thought._

_"I hate to say it, but you might be right... Usually when they're this quiet, they're planning another attack. Our shields can't really take a full-scale assault of that magnitude... their last visit almost broke through our shields..."_

_"I'm surprised they held together so long, if we didn't push back as hard as we did that time, we might have been for a world of trouble..."_

_X nodded gravely. I could tell he was becoming worn down from their constant attacks. He didn't want to admit it, but this lull in the fight is the only time he's able to breathe._

_"I know that look, Marc. Polaris gives me the same one. Zero, too."_

_I chuckled lightly. First time i actually let out a laugh in years. It felt good._

_"We worry about you, X. This war has taken a toll on all of us, but you the most. Can I offer some advice?"_

_X chuckled and nodded._

_"Even if i say no, you would offer it anyway."_

_I sat back, as if in thought._

_"That girl? Polaris? Hold onto her. Don't make my mistake. I had a girl back in the day, and I screwed it all up. I don't want that to happen between you two. I can tell you can like her, and she likes you, too. Hold onto that. For as long as you can."_

_X nodded in agreement._

_"I don't plan on letting her go. Thank you, Marc... I needed this conversation."_

_My mind snapped back to the present again. God, I missed the Rebellion like no-one's business. I pinched my nose and closed my eyes and glanced at a letter beside me. When did this get here?_

_"Congratulations, Marc Spector. You have completed your initiation into the Vigil Council. Your first test begins tomorrow. Then we shall continue our quest to protect the universe."_

_Initiation? Something odd was going on here, and I had to get to the bottom of it as quickly as possible. _

_I explored the outer halls of the Council, but nothing seemed too out of the ordinary... until I nearly got caught by two of the members. I hid into a wall carving and overheard their conversation._

_"Are we sure we can trust Marc Spector to take over the void Argon left behind? Citizen V is placing too much trust in this newcomer."_

_"You seem to have forgotten your place, Masters. You were once a member of the Rebellion."_

_Anthony Masters. I've heard of him in my travels. He called himself the Taskmaster and had personal grudges against Peter Parker, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton and S.H.I.E.L.D._

_"I was a part of the Rebellion, we ALL were! And look where it landed all of us, Osborn!"_

_"You and I can leave the Vigil if we so please. The portal is open to all. Except for Marc. He must not be allowed to leave. If he brings X here, we might finally see an end to this war between the Circle and the Rebellion. By breaking down the members, starting with their leaders, we shall become the saviors of this pitiful world."_

_Bingo. My suspicions were correct. I dipped out of there before they could catch on and returned to my room._

_So, they were planning on taking down the Rebellion like I knew they would be. That's why they wanted me to convince the two leaders. By trapping them here and killing them, they could lie to the people and crush them underfoot. Become tyrants, worse than the Circle. _

_But I could tell Citizen V wasn't the true leader of this Vigil. He was answering to someone higher. _

_Finding out who the true leader was, would be a little bit more difficult. Especially in this massive place. _

_But I was a detective, finding out the difficult shit was literally my job. I would have to be very careful though. _

_If they really were trying to take down the Rebellion, it would really be awkward for me... If X found out about this place, and found out I was here of all places, who knows what that would do for our friendship. I thought of James and swallowed hard._

_"Wish you could've changed your mind, Marky-boi. What I have planned for us all, we might never have to work again. But since you want to be a Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes, you're going to miss out. You might've even been able to win Steph back."_

_I balled my fists. I wanted to hit him, to beat him senseless for mocking me with Stephanie. James and I never saw eye to eye, but the fact that he's dangling Steph in my face is beyond unforgivable._

_"Catch ya on the flip side, my former friend."_

_My mind returned to the present. I sighed, before adjusting my tie, preparing myself for tomorrow's bullshit._

_"Alright, Marc. Let's keep playing their game..."_

_To Be Continued..._


	3. Chapter 3: Initiation

_A few days passed, and no new revelations came to light. At first, I was concerned that the members of the Council caught on to what I was really doing there, but then I realized something that might have made sense of all this._

_The Vigil Council have had premonitions of this Thanos defeating the Rebellion in a battle to decide the fate of the world, but if X dies in that battle and gets sent here, what does that mean for the rest of the team? If they lose their leader and friend, this Thanos will win and the world will be left in total chaos._

_Was that what the Council wanted? To have the Rebellion lose to the Eternal Circle? And because I knew X and Zero, was that why they wanted me to be a part of the Council? So I could easily kill X or Zero? _

_All of these thoughts ran through my head, and I felt dizzy. I would be branded a traitor no matter what, and my friendship with the only person that truly understood me on a public matter would no longer be intact._

_And I hated the thought of losing the Rebellion._

_Finding the Rebellion was one of the highlights of my entire life. All of the crazy and messed-up shit that happened to me, the Rebellion helped me get through it. And now, the thought of inevitably betraying the team and most importantly, X? It's a very sobering thought. _

_Which was why I had to get to the bottom of all of this shit. And fast._

_It was Initiation Day, and my task was simple - return to the surface world and I guess wait for someone to be killed in battle so I could lead them back here to the Vigil. Then the real shit would begin. _

_I'll spare you all the details that aren't really important, because I tried my hardest to avoid the Rebellion at all costs. But the real shit started, and it was something to see. _

_Even if I had wished to God I hadn't._

_The 'initiation' process worked more like a cult summoning. The Vigil member Citizen V started the process, and it was something straight out of a horror movie._

_"Great Malekith of the Vigil Council, we send you this soul to you and the Alter of Forbidden Truths, so this person may walk the path of the Unbounded. TAKE THIS SOUL."_

_After Citizen V spoke, his voice distorted and became demonic as the soul was literally extracted from this person and split from his body, causing the scene around us to be washed over in red as if the walls were bleeding and screaming during this horror scene. Finally, his soul was sent somewhere down below, possibly to this... Malekith person, leaving his body to be cast aside to become one of the unbounded. _

_"What the actual hell?!"_

_Citizen V stood up after the Council disbanded. _

_"In order for people to become one of the Unbounded, they must sacrifice their soul to Lord Malekith and the Alter of Forbidden Truths. Once they do, they become The Unbounded. That is the initiation process."_

_"Is that what you'll do to X? If he dies in this... premonition you've had? Why you wanted me?"_

_I had to be very careful in my confrontation, but needless to say, I was beyond angry. I wanted to strangle Citizen V, watch him take his last breaths._

_"X doesn't need to go through the initiation process, because he is a Sentinel and the process won't be the same for him."_

_I had a headache from all of this. And I just knew it would just get even more worse._

_"I know one thing. If the Eternal Circle does get out of hand, we'll keep fighting. We have to. The people have to be protected. We have to end this war one way or another."_

_X responded with an air of determination. I agreed with him, of course._

_"You're absolutely right, X. The Circle picked the wrong team to mess with."_

_X chuckled lightly. I liked the kid. He had heart and strength, even when the world, and to a greater extent, the Circle, were throwing the toughest shit at him and his team, he would always stand against it with the hardest steel I've never seen in anyone else._

_"You've got a point. But I wonder... are we all in over our heads? What if the Circle is preparing for something to go against us all? Another weapon?"_

_I placed a hand under my chin in thought. _

_"How did you and Zero destroy that weapon Lillian and Cameron built against Hunteria?"_

_X swallowed harshly._

_"That weapon... became the Omega Vaporizer after Lillian escaped into the wilderness and we've heard word that the Eternal Circle is planning on building an even worse weapon against us and the world..."_

_I walked towards X, placing a hand on his shoulder._

_"Well, then. I guess we'll have to push our fight against these bastards and show them what the Rebellion's truly capable of."_

_My mind returned to the present again, but it was so sudden I passed out on my bed. _

_When I woke up in the middle of the night, the members of the Council ran past my room in a frenzy. Naturally, I followed the craziness. _

_"You've created a monster, Zemo! That fool you sent Marc to retrieve for the initiation is causing and wreaking havoc in the city! What will you tell Lord Malekith?!"_

_Citizen V looked like he wanted to kill somebody, anybody._

_"DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW OF THIS, MASTERS?! Marc Spector will pay for his insolence!"_

_A few voices overlapped the meeting, but it went something like this:_

_"BURN HIM AT THE CENTER OF TOWN!"_

_"RIP OUT HIS ESOPHAGUS!"_

_"LET HIM DIE AT LORD MALEKITH'S HANDS!"_

_Citizen V raised his hand, silencing them all. This really was a cult._

_"I shall handle Marc Spector. Whether any of you like it or not, we still require his presence. His ties to the Rebellion will eventually lead us to X, where we will finally put an end to this war. Once Thanos arrives on Earth, Malekith will transfer their souls within him, and cause the Circle and the Rebellion to crumble from within. But we MUST have Thanos and X inside the Vigil, and Marc is the only person to do so. After he has completed his initiation, I will end his miserable life."_

_I ran back to my room, willing myself not to throw up. I had no idea what I was going to do now._

_"Steph... I promise you, if you just stick with me for a little bit longer, we'll have a better future. It'll be all worth it in the end."_

_"I... I can't be so sure of that, Marc... But I hope things work out for you in the end... Please... work on yourself."_

_My mind snapped back to the present day. Another letter._

_"Marc Spector. You have chosen to speak with Citizen V. It is nearly time for you to meet Lord Malekith for all of your hard work. Day 2 of your initiation begins in one week. Then the final phase will bring you back to the Rebellion for a battle against your very own soul and X's as well. In order to save this world, hard choices will need to be made. We trust you will be up for it. Meet Citizen V in the Chamber of Souls tomorrow for your next phase. Do not be late."_

_I swallowed hard. I guess I didn't have any other choice. I could still hear the screams of that poor man I sent to his death. The face he made as his soul was ripped from his body was horrifying... I had to be almost done with this hellscape. And at this point, I would do anything to return to the surface._

_Even if it meant betraying the Rebellion. I had no choice anymore. _

_Whatever Malekith was going to do to X and this Thanos... If it meant escaping this place for good..._

_"I'm sorry, X... but you'll thank me in time."_

_To Be Continued..._


	4. Chapter 4: Contemplation

_The longer I stayed in this place, the more I was becoming split mentally. I was becoming a different person in here, like it was forcing me to do things I didn't want to do, but had no choice._

_I had to escape this place and return to the surface world. I had to get back to the Rebellion and tell X what was really going on. I knew he would think I betrayed the Rebellion by doing all of this.. But if this Thanos really was coming to Earth to invade... _

_The Eternal Circle would essentially become an unstoppable force. And with the Vigil Council preparing souls for this Malekith, we could have a three-way war on our hands. And nobody would be safe..._

_A distant, bloodcurdling scream signaled that they found another soul to send to Malekith. Her screams... were something straight out of a horror movie... I couldn't get it out of my mind..._

_"All you do is sit there at your damn desk, slaving over your goddamned papers! You never do anything fun! It's always work with you!"_

_James used to scream at me, day in and day out. I had enough._

_"Give me a goddamned break, James! You should be happy I'm at least making a difference in MY life! All YOU do is think of ways to get us killed, and then you put the blame on me! You said it was my fault I lost Stephanie, but what have YOU ever done for me that was beneficial for us as friends? NOT a GODDAMNED THING. I'm sick and tired of you criticizing me over EVERYTHING I do when it's not convenient for YOU!"_

_James lunged at me, and I reared a fist back, placing it right across his face. He pulled out his pistol, and I threw the desk straight at him before he could fire a shot at me. _

_That was the last time I ever saw James or Stephanie in my lifetime._

_Needless to say, my friendship with James wasn't always strained. When I became a detective to help save lives and bust down criminals, James ended up being on my list of vigilantes. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt by allowing him to have a free pass as long as he didn't do anything to get him back on the police radar. _

_For the longest, he did okay. Until he wasn't._

_Something that James did, I busted him for it, and he never forgave me for doing it, either._

_James got involved with a contraband cocaine syndicate known as the Users. Basically, they would come into town, set up shop away from the public eye, give you a burner phone to call them, and send you about 12 grams of the "good stuff", they called it. _

_My division would catch them in town and arrest the lot of them and warned them that if they tried that shit again, I would bring down justice unholy on all of the bastards for making a bad name for the people. I can't stand assholes who think they can ruin our reputation without paying dearly for it. I once put someone in the ground for trying that. _

_Anyway, long story short - The Users set up shop in town, and they recruited James for a special mission. That mission nearly caused 15 people to be brutally murdered if we didn't put a stop to it. _

_The police got a response that morning saying that the syndicate had taken hostages for a "test", they called it. They wanted to see how fast we could save 25 people before dawn broke, otherwise the number of deaths would go up by the hour before they bombed our station. _

_Needless to say, I was out for blood. I grabbed my nightstick and pistol and went to work. I knew where they set up, so it wasn't hard to find them. We showed up around 8:15 in the morning, hours before the kill time, and handled business. Everyone that was being held hostage was forcibly released as a gang war broke out. Over 50 members of the syndicate were killed, as were 14 of our officers. The leader of the syndicate tried to put up a fight, but I wasn't having it. I took my nightstick and beat him to a pulp for threatening our city and our people, all while James watched. As I looked at him, I sent my officers to arrest James and anyone else daring to revive the Users._

_James never saw me as his friend after that day again. Even after I gave him the benefit of the doubt by releasing him three days later, he tried to physically fight me each time I didn't want to lose my job because of his bullshit._

_Something in me snapped that day, and I finally told James how I really felt about everything he's done against me. He purposely tried to make me lose my job so I could get busted by the law. Be a vigilante like he was. And I wouldn't budge. Him trying to kill me that day revealed his true colors, and I swore I would end him if I ever saw him again. _

_So, I left that part of me behind, and that meant leaving Stephanie as well. We didn't really click or mesh together as well as I had hoped we would. I can't blame her, either. I still care dearly for her. But, we were sadly never meant to be. I guess my job as a detective was the last straw for her. I couldn't forget her, though. She was the only thing right in my life._

_My thoughts shifted, and I was beginning to lose touch with reality. I was in a dark room, tied up as I watched a defenseless man get beaten over and over again. I tried to yell, but the words wouldn't escape me. I watched his throat get slashed and watched him fall limp before my mind snapped back to the night before, the soul of the unnamed man forced out like an exorcism for Malekith, only a thousand times worse, as his body contorted and twisted, bones and organs poking out of every orifice and surface as his eyes turned white, his scream being twisted out of his body, his spirit and mind following._

_Multiple violent scenarios played out in my head, creating a personality I didn't recognize. I felt helpless and weak. Like it was controlling me and I couldn't do anything to stop it. I was getting worse... It was getting worse... I sat there as the mania and anxiety of my inner demons fought within my mind for what seemed like hours and hours, and I was beginning o lose it rapidly. I wanted to die again and start over within the Vigil just to end the pain and nausea._

_And then... it stopped. I tried to stand, but I was so weakened, I collapsed. _

_I could feel myself being dragged someplace, so I kept still as voices spoke._

_"I've had enough of this. Citizen V wishes to keep this traitor and newcomer here. I will not stand for it! No more. He will be sent to the Cavern. Then we will deal with Zemo."_

_The voice belonged to Anthony Masters. I tried my best not to shift in any way, knowing if I allowed myself to move, both of them would be dead in an instant. _

_"We shall burn them both, my lord?"_

_"Yes. Then we will take our fight to Malekith himself. He wants to bring that foul member of the Rebellion here, that murderer, X, to OUR domain? NEVER."_

_More dragging. I felt a very strong heat signature. This must have been the Cavern. The air that was behind me was now being rushed forward as I felt myself falling faster into the fire. A final act of revenge and betrayal finally did me in._

_A soft hand was placed on my face as I opened my eyes._

_"Steph... you came back to me..."_

_She smiled. God, I missed her smile._

_"I never left. And now, you don't have to, either. Let's go home."_

_I smiled as I kept my eyes closed. I finally escaped this wretched Vigil homeworld._

_I was finally going home... _

_So why was everything still so goddamned hot?_

_To Be Continued..._


	5. Chapter 5: Retribution

_I awoke with a searing pain and a major headache as I looked around at my surroundings._

_I was still in the Goddamned Vigil Homeworld. There had to be a reason for all of this shit. But what was the reason? I remember Zemo and Anthony dragging me to the Cavern. That was it. _

_They attempted to kill me, and somehow I survived the ordeal. They would not. Once I got my hands on them both, they would regret ever crossing my path. The problem was, how do I get out of this place without drawing any unwarranted attention? God, this would be so much easier if I had contact with the Rebellion, and X, for that matter..._

_X and Zero were on edge, even more so today because the Circle were mobilizing their forces as the Rebellion lowered their shields and prepared to fight. _

_This was the day I died. I remember now._

_But, damn, did we give them hell._

_The Circle fought with furious and ferocious anger against us. X and Zero led the charge as they dwindled and replenished their forces in a battle that was even rougher than our last few battles. I don't know what I was thinking, but I jumped down into the battle and turned violent again, sparing no member of the Circle until they got the upper hand. I felt myself die. I saw nothing but white everywhere... this death was... different from the last... like sleeping and waking up again..._

_I held my head tightly. X probably thinks I'm never coming back, and even if I do manage to escape... my chances of being back in the Rebellion is next to nothing now. All because I'm stuck here in this hellhole of a place fighting a conflict I wanted nothing to do with. _

_"You're confused, aren't you?"_

_I raised a fist and started swinging wildly at the voice, but I didn't connect with any part of his body. It was Zemo, of course._

_"You bastard! You dragged me down here all because you want to kill X and Zero! I heard everything! And by the way, Anthony Masters is working against you, but I swear I'm going to kill you all!"_

_Zemo merely shifted._

_"Let me tell you a story, Marc. The Vigil Council, for all it's glamour and posture, is weak and flawed. Taskmaster is a prime example of such. Anthony wishes to bring about an end to the Vigil, and to a greater extent, Lord Malekith. You were brought here to stop an internal conflict. Until it is over, you cannot leave."_

_"Cannot, or will not. Those are two very different things. And you can't stop me. You said the Vigil can be entered and exited, and I've died twice. It would have been three times, if Masters wasn't so Goddamned sloppy and missed the Cavern when he failed to throw me inside of it."_

_Zemo suddenly bolted upright. Ah, he didn't know about Anthony's little attempt to have me killed._

_"What did you just say?!"_

_I smirked._

_"Oh, yeah. He didn't tell you? Little bastard tried to kill me yesterday by throwing me into the Cavern of Fire. I guess he's pissed at you for even bringing me into this little girlfight you're having with each other. It's funny - I had a friend long ago, and we didn't see eye to eye, but at least I knew the shit he was trying to pull. Asshole even tried to put a bullet in my chest if I wasn't fast enough, but damn... are you dropping the ball on this one, or is Masters gripping so tightly on your nuts that you're blind to what's going on here?"_

_Zemo placed a hand on his sword as if to attack. I analyzed his movements, his motions. Then he relaxed._

_"Did I strike a nerve?"_

_He lunged and I dodged his attack as he quickly pulled out his sword. I used the table to block his sword parries before I jumped up, sweeping his leg out from under him. I took his sword, and for a split second, I wanted to stab him over and over and over, but I stopped.I threw his sword across the room, punching him in the face and incapacitating him temporarily. Masters was my target. _

_I searched every inch of the Vigil, and no sign of Anthony. The little bastard was persistent, but not smart. He left tracks everywhere and I nearly laughed out loud at how stupid he could be. _

_I studied the markings on the wall, and they were all graphs of Malekith. He seemed to be like a god down here. The people worshiped him as if he saved them from some injustice... they couldn't have been more wrong..._

_My mind snapped to the day James and I had our final falling out. After he tried to kill me, the police force ran him out of the city, out of the town. But I met up with him three months later, and he was still up to his old shit. He never changed. I tried to keep my distance, but he caught me and fired a shot off, stinging my arm in the process._

_"What the hell, James?!"_

_James was absolutely crazy, chasing me down with a pistol, trying to kill me. I had enough of his shit. I threw my knife at him, injuring his gun hand as I tackled him to the ground, breaking his entire arm. I wanted to rip it off, but I was showing restraint. _

_"What the hell is wrong with you!"_

_James laughed to himself._

_"You... you you you you you you you you ruined my life... I'll k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-kill y-y-you! Kill, kill, KILL!"_

_I don't know what happened to him after that day. I just remember throwing him into an insane asylum and never bothering with my former friend ever again._

_But something seemed... off. The other guy that dragged me to the Cavern sounded... so familiar, it was killing me._

_It couldn't have been James, could it? No, that's impossible... Right?_

_I kept going, exploring the nooks and crannies of the Vigil until I reached an area unexplored. I head Anthony's voice as I opened the door._

_"Our plan is near completion. With the girl in our possession and Zemo walking into a trap, we will retake the Vigil from Malekith himself."_

_Girl? What girl? I never saw any girl walk into the Vigil..._

_"And what about Marc?"_

_"You will have your chance to kill him, James. After he escapes the Vigil. If he dies here, it would make no difference, he would simply come back to life. That is why the Cavern failed."_

_James... So I wasn't hearing things. Which means that they have Stephanie. It all made sense now. _

_Masters and James were behind all of this. James probably captured Steph when he found out I was inside the Vigil, and waited all this time to get his revenge, and because they both know me so well, they're probably expecting me to go in there with violent tendencies, which would put Steph in danger._

_I would have to handle this calmly, and get Steph back._

_"He is here."_

_Damn it. Well, it was now or never._

_"Marc Spector. You're either bold or stupid, but it doesn't matter now, our plans have finally aligned."_

_"I don't give a shit about your plans. Where's Steph?"_

_I clenched my fists tightly, trying to steel myself from tearing both of them apart for hurting Steph._

_"The girl is safe. For now. But any attempt to stop us will result in her death. I have to admit, Spector - you're showing a lot of restraint. Usually you would try to tear my heart out. I wonder what would happen if she was in mortal danger?"_

_Steph's scream nearly made me lose myself in my own rage... If I didn't handle this correctly, I would lose Steph to the Vigil, and I couldn't lose her again. _

_"What do you want with her? Why are you hurting her?!"_

_James unsheathed his blades, lunging towards me. I side-stepped him and followed with a kick to his back as Steph screamed again. I grabbed one of James's blades and relieved him of his hand permanently. I had to get to Steph and fast._

_"Not so fast!"_

_Anthony blocked the way to Steph, and I had enough of his shit. I lunged towards him with my sword and he parried with his own, cutting my clothes and my skin. Every hit he gave me stung and burned, but my rage was building. I was going to kill him today. _

_"You fight sloppily, Marc!"_

_He was right, normally I would be able to hold my own against anyone, but Steph's scream were clouding my fighting. The longer I drew this out, the worse it would get for Steph. So I distracted him just long enough and drove my blade deep in his chest and out the back of him before curb-stomping his face._

_"Eat shit, motherfucker."_

_I ran to the center of the area where Steph was and cut her down as she collapsed in my arms. She was really here... _

_"M-Marc...?"_

_I smiled at her. Everything that I ever went through.. all of the shit that's happened to me... was worth it to hear her say my name in that soft voice of hers..._

_"Steph... are you okay...?"_

_She nodded slightly._

_"My ribs hurt like hell, but I'll manage... you look like shit.."_

_I chuckled briefly._

_"You should see the other guys. Come on, let's get you home.."_

_What happened next, I wish I could say was a bad dream. I wish I could tell you that Steph and I finally escaped that wretched hive and started a new life._

_But I can't. Because it didn't happen._

_After I found Stephanie and tried to escape with her, I looked at my hands and saw blood. But it wasn't my own..._

_It was Steph's. That bastard Anthony caught up to us and stabbed Steph._

_"St-Steph...? No, no no no no no no come on, speak to me... please..."_

_I saw red as I lunged after Anthony, I was going to send him to Malekith in pieces. Unfortunately, he was ready for it, because all of a sudden, James stepped from behind him and got me in the neck with his other sword._

_I coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground. My fourth death._

_"Send him... to the Ryback. Burn his body and send his ashes to Lord Malekith as a warning. Summon the beasts. It's time for us to continue on with our plan to retake the Vigil, even if I have to rip out Malekith's heart myself. He has stained this sacred place long enough."_

_The last few words faded out as I laid there in my own blood. Even though I knew I would come back, Steph wouldn't. She hadn't died before. I had every hope she would come back... She needed to, I couldn't continue without her..._

_My mind flashed through scenarios of a future with her. I had a kid, a little girl. She was my pride and joy, and then it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared as I was being dragged once again._

_I failed. And the sad part about all of this was, the only person that continued to give a shit about me was gone forever, all because of my actions. _

_I was still stuck here in this Goddamned Vigil, forced to fight a battle I wanted no part of, only now it was personal. _

_When I come back to life, it would be war within the Vigil Homeworld. I would find some way of contacting the Rebellion, even if it meant exposing myself as a potential traitor, and I would have my revenge on Taskmaster, on Baron Zemo, on Malekith, and on anyone in this place and burn it to the ground so that nobody will ever be a slave to this place ever again. _

_I was brought here for a reason, I don't know why, but with Steph now gone forever from my life, and James back in my life, albeit to kill me over and over again, that reason is clear to me._

_I was never here to stop a conflict - I was here to destroy the Vigil. To stop Malekith from escaping this world._

_They wanted a war? _

_They picked the wrong person to start it with by killing the love of my life._

_And I swear to God, I will not rest until every last one of them is dead..._

_Starting with Anthony Masters._

_To Be Continued..._


End file.
